Authors Notes:
I first began this fic, because frankly, I really, really like corsets/women in corsets, to the point where I'll try to insert them into stories whenever I think I can get away with it. I created this story as an attempt to get the compulsion out of my system before working on stories where random mentions of female underwear wouldn't work half as well. However, it eventually evolved into what you see here, and sets up several events which will be important on later stories.
About Monsters of New York: Monsters of New York is the series title for a group of stories I have planned crossing over the second Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon with Gargoyles. Unlike the usual crossover fanfic, part of the aim of this project is to intertwine both properties as seamlessly as possible–which means, that among other things, I have to explain stuff like why the Gargoyles aren't around in 2003 (aside from the obvious) and appearance of the pyramid/Eye of Providence iconography is used by both the Illuminati and in C.F. Volpehart's (TMNT, "The Darkness Within") mansion. It also means that anything canon remains canon–the Gargoyles had their canon adventures from 1994 to 1997, while the turtles had theirs from 2003 to 2009. Why do it this way? Cause the restrictions make it more fun. It also means that you'll have to be familiar with both stories in order to make sense of it all–if you're a TMNT fan who knows nothing about Gargoyles, watch it–I'll wait. If you're a Gargoyles fan who knows nothing about the TMNT…ditto. It's worth it. Other entries in the series, as well as supplementary material such as timelines and episode reviews for both series, can be seen at .com/ .
Setting: Tokyo, Japan, in the year 2002
Legal Disclaimers: Gargoyles and related characters are trademarks of Disney Enterprises, Inc., and was created by Greg Weisman and a host of other talented people. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and related characters are trademarks of Viacom International Inc., and were created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. No copyright infringement is intended. Original characters are, of course, mine.
Credit where credit is due: To those familiar with recent Mirage comics, yes, the Lin here is supposed to be that one. Credit goes to Tristan Huw Jones for creating her. Thanks, Tristan!
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Lies, Chapter 1: On Drinking While Corsetted
Karai shifted uncomfortably in her seat, something she had had to do far too often that evening, thanks to the corset tightly gripping her midsection. She had complained about having to wear it, to no avail; her target, Lin had argued, was a man of rather particular tastes, and anything the young ninja could do to help lower his guard only helped. It was that particular reason that had led to the tarty and somewhat humiliating outfit Karai now wore: too-short skirt, sky-blue stockings, impractical heels she nevertheless honestly loved, and the corset/top, which favored everyone with a good look at her enhanced cleavage. Completing the look was a pair of stylish glasses—leave no kink unturned. Classy.
"This is ridiculous," Karai told Lin for the umpteempht time. "I feel like a prostitute."
"That's part of the point of this exercise, actually," Lin said, as she tried to be loud enough to be heard without being overheard—a bit paranoid, perhaps, given the general too-loud noise level at the bar, but that's what Lin was like. She was dressed not dissimilarly to Karai, although she carried the look quite a bit more convincingly, since it wasn't too different from what she usually wore. "This line of work, you're hardly going to be limited to dignity-preserving assignments; you'll have to sell your role even if you're supposed to be the biggest tramp in Kabukichō—which, by the way, you totally are right now."
"Are you drunk?"
"A bit. You need to be too—people can tell when you're faking it. Still, it's a compliment. I would pay to do nasty things to you right now."
"Wonderful," Karai answered sarcastically. Although she loved Lin dearly, the older ninja's not-at-all hidden-crush on Ms. Saki was not something she was really comfortable with. Still, whatever her reservations, Karai was glad to be able to spend time with Lin—she'd seen far too little of her ever since the older ninja had finished her undercover ops training, and given that they had been joined a the hip prior to that, her absence had been deeply felt.
The mission was straightforward enough: Karai was to seduce her way into the life of one Joshua Claiborne, and use him to obtain a certain bit of information belonging to his employer, Cyberbiotics Japan. While retrieving the information was the mission's main priority, it was also meant to gauge Karai's abilities as an undercover operative: in order to be truly successful, she would have to get in and out without raising any eyebrows. Hence, the hour spent at this second-rate bar in Shibuya, where, if Foot Intelligence was to be believed, Joshua occasionally spent time after work.
"There's our target," said Lin, suddenly becoming deadly serious. She pointed at the entrance, where the most unremarkable man Karai had ever seen had just entered. Average hair, average build, average clothing…had Karai been asked what she imagined the average Japanese youth (or half-Japanese, in this case) to look like, it would have been exactly like what she was currently staring at. His unremarkableness, was, in a word, remarkable.
Karai watched as Claiborne joined what appeared to be a group of friends, where he talked to them for a minute before heading to the bar. "Scenario A?" Karai signed, to which Lin responded in the affirmative.
Karai mentally shifted into character as she watched Lin approach Joshua. Gone was Karai Saki, replaced by Karai Himeru, the vegan psychology student who used "boku" and "omae" instead of "atakushi" and "anata", tightlaced, unabashedly classified herself as an otaku, and went crazy over boys with shaggy hair. Making use of her lip-reading skills, she could more or less make out what Lin was saying. "Could you please tell my friend that she looks fine? She's been self-conscious all night and it's annoying the hell out of me" —Karai suppressed a smile at that—"Please?"
Obedient Joshua did just that, taking a quick glance at Karai. The glance then turned into a stare, which turned into a linger. It wasn't until Karai said a hesitant "hello" that his eyes regained their focus and he was able to respond with a greeting of his own.
"Sorry about that. I'm Joshua. Hi. I'm sure you get this all the time, but you have an absolutely fantastic figure."
"Well, thank you for the compliment, apology accepted. Hello yourself." She smiled her most appreciative smile. "Did that girl over there tell you to come say that?" she said, pointing at Lin.
"Yes, she did—at least, the 'come talk to you' bit. But I really do think you look amazing. In any case, now that I've…well, now that I've severed all ties between me and my dignity, I was wondering, you two like to join my friends and I over a couple of drinks? One of them just got promoted, so he's paying for everyone for the night."
"Good-looking men and free drinks?" Lin interrupted. "How can we resist? My name's Lin, by the way; the one you're drooling over is Karai."
The newly-established threesome rejoined Joshua's party, which was engaged in a conversation about one of the group's recently-ended relationship.
"So she just up and left?" Karai asked. "No letter or anything?"
"That's right," answered Shinji, the victim. "One week after she agrees to marry me—gone. Evaporated. Vanished."
"So what did you do?" Lin asked, with a look of concern whose authenticity Karai could not determine.
"Not much I could do: I called the police, but all they did was quickly establish that she hadn't left against her will. So in the end I just manned up and decided to auction off all her stuff."
"Okay…and how long ago was this?"
"A week ago. I can show you some of her stuff, if you're interested; you're about her size, Lin."
"Damn," Karai said. Then, turning to Joshua, said: "Your friend bounces back quick, doesn't he? Kind of impressive."
"Yes, to both counts. All I know is that if that happened to me, I probably wouldn't be able to get out of bed for a month."
Well, you'll get to test that soon enough, Karai thought.
After an hour or so, Joshua's party excused itself, explaining that they were heading out for some karaoke, and inviting the girls to come along. Soon the group had moved to one of Tokyo's ubiquitous karaoke establishments, where, after getting sloshed, Karai and Joshua sang a duet of Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody". To everyone's surprise, Joshua turned out to have the better voice of the two by a fair margin.
"Well, that was fun," Karai said. "Although I think I'd better get home. Lin?"
"Aww…but I was just starting to have fun…" her partner pouted. Her right hand, Karai noticed, was fondling Shinji's left thigh. "Can't Joshua take you home?"
"Well…" Karai pretended to ponder. "If he wants to, sure, why not? Joshua? You interested?"
"Sure. No problem."
Karai's apartment was Spartan in its choice of furnishings, which made the larger-than-average rooms seem gargantuan. What furniture there was of the highest quality.
"Do you want anything to drink? Beer?" Karai asked, from the kitchen.
"I'll have some milk, please."
"Milk? Really?"
"What? It tastes good and it's healthy. Plus, I'm all alcoholed out."
"Geek."
As they drank on opposite sides of the couch, Karai noticed that Joshua, despite seeming comfortable, was still keeping his distance. "You okay?" she asked.
"I'm fine," Joshua said, with some hesitation. "It's just…I'm not usually in this position. I keep waiting for that moment when I'll inevitably screw up."
Well, at least the boy was honest. "Well, then, how about this"—she sat on his lap and begin nibbling on his ear—"There's absolutely no way you're screwing up tonight."
To Karai's initial surprise, the Foot's training program for undercover operatives had included an extensive segment on sex. Sex, her instructors had argued, was one of the most potent tools in an operatives' arsenal, so it was imperative for them to actually be good at it. One particular detail the trainers stressed was the importance of making the act enjoyable no matter the circumstances. After all, just because you're using sex as a weapon to eventually destroy a person's life doesn't mean one couldn't have fun in the process. A consummate student, Karai had taken those lessons to heart and so was able to make the most of Joshua's lack of technique.
Per Joshua's request, Karai had left the corset on during sex, and she was pleasantly surprised to find it quite erotic. Perhaps it was the unrelenting pressure around her midsection, the way it only allowed her to draw small, hurried breaths, or how it made her breasts impossible to ignore, but suddenly she felt acutely aware of everything around her, the way she usually did when fighting someone. The sticky coolness of their sweat, the slow rise and fall of her breasts, his fingers between hers, the feeling of Joshua inside her…all were magnified tenfold.
—-
After two consecutive lovemaking sessions, Karai took her leave, but not before arranging a future date with Joshua, to be set a week hence.